Grandmasters Arjun Erigaisi, Vidit Gujrathi to headline Chennai Grand Masters
India's most prestigious classical chess tournament will feature 20 players from across the Masters and Challengers categories.
The latest edition will have a ₹1 crore prize pool as competitors chase FIDE Circuit points, which are vital for qualifying for next year's Candidates Tournament.
Organised by MGD1 and sponsored by Quantbox, the tournament will be split into two categories: Masters and Challengers.
Besides Erigaisi, Gujrathi and Giri, the Masters field will comprise Jorden Van Foreest, Liang Awonder, Vincent Keymer, Ray Robson, Vladimir Fedoseev, and Pranav V, who steps up after winning the Challengers in 2024.
"Playing such a high-stakes tournament at home is always special. As the top-rated player here, I know the expectations are high, but the field this year is extremely competitive, and every game will demand my absolute best," Erigaisi said.
The Challengers category, introduced last year, will feature Karthikeyan Murali, Leon Mendonca, Vaishali R, Harika Dronavalli, Abhimanyu Puranik, Aryan Chopra, Adhiban Baskaran, Iniyan P, Diptayan Ghosh, and Pranesh M.
The Masters champion will take home Rs 25 lakh, while the second and third place player will get richer by Rs 15 lakh and Rs 10 lakh , respectively.
The Challengers' winner will receive Rs 7 lakh and a guaranteed place in the 2026 Masters. The tournament also carries FIDE Circuit points, with the winner earning 24.5 points towards the 2026 Candidates qualification.
In the case of joint winners, each will receive 22.3 points, while second and third place finishers will earn 17.8 and 15.6 points, respectively.
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